Power of the Press
by serachanXatsuka
Summary: The Golden Trio had been and will always be under the intense scrutiny of the press. Now, when Ron seems about to blame Hermione for their break-up, she and Harry unite and use the press to engage him in a press war.


Hermione threw the Daily Prophet in the kitchen table. She had no interest in the headline that day, after all, she had a pretty good hunch what it was about.

Last night, she had broken up with Ron. As he had sat across the table, eating like the food wouldn't last long and talking at the same time, she felt disgusted. Was this what she was dooming her life into? She had just about enough. She had been patient to give him a chance to mature after the war but no such change happened and he continued to be jealous of the fame and wealth of Harry as well as the attention the male population gave her. It would have been nice, if he actually paid her attention on normal circumstances.

Suddenly, the floo activated and Harry stepped out from her fireplace. Wiping off the soot from his clothes, he stepped into the kitchen. "I heard about the break-up. Wanna talk about it?"

She turned to him and smiled. That was what she liked about Harry, he knew her enough already to know not to mince with words and delay things with pleasantries. He was blunt and direct to the point.

"Sure," she said and pointed to a seat on the table and placed a plate of toast, bacon and eggs, having expected her best friend to come that morning. One of the reasons she had filed for a leave that morning. "So what's the official Daily Prophet story and what's Ron's?" She asked, taking a bite of her toast.

"Daily Prophet says you broke up for unknown reasons yet and they think that you're to blame." He shrugged. "I wouldn't have thought that they'd side with him if they knew what happened during the war." He sighed. "I still don't get it why you didn't want the information out. It's still not too late. They do know his obvious jealousy of me."

"That's just the Daily Prophet. What's Ron's version?" She asked, rising to get herself a cup of coffee. "Have some food."

"Damn. I thought you'd forget. Thanks." Harry sighed again. "Lucky for you I heard his version while I was dropping by the Burrow." He stopped for a moment, arranging his thoughts. "When that pig stormed into the house, Mrs. Weasley left me in the kitchen so she could keep him out that area while I was in. He said, you broke up with him because I told you to and because you were cheating on him." Harry chuckled at that one. "I just wish you were there to hear half the things his mum told him. Got an earful, he did."

Hermione allowed herself a small smile. "So it seems Ron just lost his strongest supporters."

Harry looked at her, carefully thinking from what angle he would approach it. "So, care to tell your version?"

Hermione shrugged nonchalantly. "We were eating in the restaurant that night and he was eating and talking the same time. You know how his eating habits disgust me, even from before." She pleaded him with her eyes to understand although she knew she didn't need to defend herself. She was probably the only one who had been able to tolerate his eating habits for so long and for that she gained the admiration of many. "And then he was talking to me about having his mind made up to visit somebody, no doubt about it being a male, to stop trying to talk to me. It was just too much and I was just like, I don't want to live like this. I don't want to live being told what to do, waiting for his approval before I do things."

"If you had asked my opinion before you entered into a relationship with him, I would've told you it was doomed to fail even before it began. No matter what people thought at the time, I knew you wouldn't last with him. He's just not the guy you were likely to fall into." He chuckled when she mock-glared at me.

"And what a mighty help that might have been. You could've stopped me from wasting my time in the circus that was my relationship." She sighed. "But I guess I have to take care of releasing my version before he does. Though I think it's much better if he released his first. That would spark the ire of the many women he had cheated on me with. Then I'll release my statement and everything will be fine. It would also be a good way so we can really reveal what he did when we were in hiding before the Final Battle. But I can't think up of how we can make him release his statement faster than he's supposed to."

Harry mused for a while with her and they lapsed into silence. "You know, I can release a statement for the press about the issue, they'll absolutely love that."

"That could work. But what are you planning on saying?"

"Oh, a little of this, a little of that..." At her pointed look, he smiled cheekily. "You'll just have to wait see then won't you." He stood up from his seat and walked out of the kitchen to the living room where the fireplace was. "After all, I was considered cunning enough to be considered by the Sorting Hat to go into the Slytherin." As soon as he said it, he flooed, leaving her gaping in her living room.

Harry just kept surprising her. She shook her head and returned to the kitchen to finish her breakfast.

* * *

><p><strong>Harry Potter claims Hermione Granger Not at Fault<strong>

_In a press release called suddenly by the Saviour, Harry Potter, he gave his statement about the confirmed break-up of his best friend, Hermione Granger and former best mate, Ronald Weasley._

"_You're probably thinking why I called for you but I want you to know, I know you think everything's 'Mione's (Hermione's) fault that the break-up happened." Harry Potter had said as a way of greeting once the press started._

_In said press conference, he states that there have been reasons why he remained friends only with the war heroine, one of which the readers know well as the intense and vocal jealousy of his former best mate. The other reasons though, Harry Potter refused to divulge instead relating that, were it not for Miss Granger's wise words and help, the wizarding world would not be as it is._

_In regards with this information, the newspaper wishes to extend its apologies to Hermione Granger and also our deep gratitude._

_At the end of the conference, War Hero and Saviour Harry Potter leaves a message to Ron Weasley: "Ron Weasley, I don't know what lies you've come up with. Be a man this time and own up to your faults."_

* * *

><p><strong>Ron Weasley counters Potter: My Girlfriend (Granger) Cheated On Me<strong>

_As the wizarding world is caught up in the drama that is the break-up between Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, it has already been shown in the last edition what Mr. Potter's statement consisted and his final words to his former best mate. In response to the article, Ron Weasley also called for a press conference, a few hours after the release of the article._

_In the conference, former best mate to war hero Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley refutes the previous article, saying that Ms. Granger is not as good as Potter makes her out to be. In concise form, the redhead's speech revealed that his ex-girlfriend had in fact cheated on him, which led to the break-up._

"_I had known she was going at it behind my back, but I was willing to ignore it. I guess she liked what she got from her newest man-whore." Ron Weasley said in his impassioned voice. When asked by reporters who were the men he was referring to, he refused to give names._

_When approached, the war heroine had refused to give a comment on the issue when stopped by reporters on her way to the Ministry. The refusal to give names has given rise to questions. Who are these men? Or was there really any men? Is this a bitter speech by an offended ex-lover? _

_Stay tuned folks as this will surely not be the end._

* * *

><p>Everything went to hell after then. After various wizarding publications had released Ron's statement, various men and women had approached reporters on a daily basis, giving statements that went against Ron's speech.<p>

Women had voiced that Hermione Granger remained innocent and Ron had been, in fact, the one cheating in the relationship. They had gone on to say that the war heroine had known but had calmly talked to them. Men shouted their disbelief of Ron's claims. He had been duly noted by most of the male population as very accusatory. A friendly greeting or comfortable chat that the war heroine had shared with the opposite sex had resulted in the redhead's anger and jealousy and in fits of rage, had called and made her feel like a harlot, for which many had shaken their heads. Even former classmates of the trio had related stories of the trio's actions while at school. Harry Potter was the famous but humble leader of the three, Hermione Granger was the smart advisor of the two and acted as damage control, and Ronald Weasley had filled the part of the boisterous but jealous friend of the two.

Hermione had been entertained by every article that appeared pertaining to her. Harry was, indeed, quite cunning and would've made the Slytherin house proud if he weren't such a Gryffindor.

* * *

><p>Ron made feeble attempts to protest against the articles. Of course, it proved difficult when his entire family had gone against him and been on the verge of giving their statements when Hermione Granger stepped in and finally called for a press conference.<p>

Harry was in attendance as well as the whole Weasley family minus Ron.

"I guess everybody's here so if you will all settle down, we can start the press conference already. One questions at a time people. Let me say what I have to say then I'll call on you to give you a chance." Hermione said, her voice amplified to be heard over the din. Cancelling the Sonorus charm, she waited as the noise abated.

"As everybody has already guessed, I've come here to put an end to the press wars that has been going on. You have all given evidence of what my former boyfriend had actually been up to while he was supposedly in a relationship. Again, I want to thank the people who have deferred to my request to stop giving interviews that would further slander, if not reveal, his true image. I will not say that I never knew of the affairs because I had been the reason why they had ended the illicit affair." Hermione paused, taking a sip of water. "I want to say that the reason I broke up with him is that, one can only tolerate his eating habits for so long and I'm almost surprised I lasted as long as I did"

Her comment eased the tension as everybody chuckled at the comment. The redhead's reputation when it came to eating was widely known. "But kidding aside, I had suddenly realized that I don't want a life where everything is dictated for me, that I might face the risk of losing the friends I had gained, both from school and at work. Knowing that he constantly cheated on me was also very tiring. I wanted out."

There was a moment of silence as they allowed the heroine to collect herself, witnessing as Harry Potter and the Weasleys comforted her. "If you all have questions, would you kindly raise your hands and I'll call on you one by one." Hermione said after a while, her voice thick with emotion.

"Hermione, Luna Lovegood for The Quibbler." Hermione smiled at her blonde friend. This was going to be good. "In Harry's statement after the break-up, he said there were other reasons why Ron had lost all his trust. Can you tell us why?"

Hermione smiled at the question. Luna, being part of their inner circle, had been told about the story. But all that had been told were kept hush by Hermione. To her right, she saw Harry nod subtly, giving her his approval to relate the story.

"As you all know, during our war ravaged times when Voldemort had been revived, the three of us, Harry, Ron and I had made ourselves scarce as soon as the Ministry fell. We had been on a mission to destroy the vessels of Voldemort's soul." She didn't dare to give the object name so as not to give any aspiring dark lords any idea. "During our hunting, Ron had expressed his inability to continue living under such constrained conditions and he had left us for what could be counted as the second time. The first time though was during the Triwizard Tournament when Harry's name was placed in the goblet to force him to compete. The point is, he has continually turned his back on us and has proved time and again that he was nothing but a jealous git."

There were murmurs around the room. "Lavender Brown for The Witch's Weekly, Miss Granger. The readers have been dying to know. How did you manage to last long, considering you had to witness Mr. Weasley's disgusting manner of eating?"

That got a laugh out of everybody but Hermione controlled herself enough to answer. "I don't even know how I lasted. I guess the only comfort I have is that I didn't allow him to kiss me once I've seen him eat. Tell your readers that I advise them not to stay in a relationship where they can't get their men to change what they consider as disgusting manners when they eat."

* * *

><p>From there, the interview had gone on well. The articles released the next day had stopped the interviews about the scandalous redhead and gave Hermione's version of the story. She felt vindicated for all the hurt that Ron had inflicted upon her in the entire duration of their relationship, and even from before.<p>

The wizarding world soon calmed down. Whenever Ron had dared to go outside the Burrow, where he was tolerated inside his house, her received scathing looks and snarky remarks until such point that the redhead had been forced to pack up and leave.

His family could not say that they were very sad to see him go. They made a weak attempt to locate him but gave up after a few tries. As long as he kept out sight, as far as they were concerned, he was out of their minds.

Harry was finally content, able to fully divulge what had truly happened for him to fully trust in Hermione and lose his trust on Ron.

Hermione was one happy witch. Finally she was free from the burden of being with Ron and she wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

><p><strong>An: It's not exactly how I wanted it to be but I guess I'll just have to make another. Ahhh! Why can't I make it out the way I wanted it to? Stupid sleepiness pushed me away from the idea**

**Still... I hoped you enjoyed this one. Reviews are much appreciated and making this your favourite story just makes my day. XD But seriously, I love reviews more...**

**Thanks a lot. 'Til next time...**

**SV**


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